1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a method of processing and presenting structural data for display, and more particularly, a method for presenting tactical structural plans to remote locations responsive to emergency situations.
2.Background of the Invention
With the rise of violence in the school and workplace has also come increased scrutiny of the methods in which law enforcement and rescue personnel respond to a crisis. In dangerous situations, leaders are not apt to send personnel into unknown situations without some strategic and tactical planning. From the earliest times, maps and plans have been utilized to reduce risk to personnel and achieve predefined objectives.
Where time is available, structural plans may be obtained an analyzed prior to taking action in a crisis situation. However, in reality, plans are typically not readily available when an unexpected crisis occurs. Accordingly, responding personnel are left scrambling to aggregate enough information from a heterogeneous array of sources to develop a plan. During the time in which information is being obtained, severe damage may be inflicted to both life and property.
While numerous references in the prior art acknowledge the problem, none provide a method of presenting tactical structural plans responsive to emergency situations in an efficient and consistent manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,417 to Orr et al. describes a method for acquiring and presenting data relevant to an emergency incident. The xe2x80x9c417 patent describes at least two examples of incorporating architectural plans into the system. However, the uses include (1) visualization of a completed construction plan (Col. 8, lines 40-53); and (2) confirmation of regulatory compliance (Col. 8, lines 54-67).
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,793,882 and 5,596,652 to Piatek et al. describe a personnel accountability system which also suggests that site information, including floor plans, blueprints, photographs, fire inspection reports and the like, may be obtained by a data receiver (39) for display on a computer hardware system (20). (Col. 8, lines 26-41 of the xe2x80x9c882 patent and Col. 7, lines 7-22 of the xe2x80x9c652 patent).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,124,915 to Krenzel describes a system for transmitting image information for emergency response situations. The xe2x80x9c915 patent describes the use of (1) cellular communications for digital images (Col. 3, line 1 and Col. 5, lines 59-61); (2) compression of images for bandwidth limitations (Col. 3, lines 43-48); and (3) the removal of extraneous information from the display (Col. 5, lines 45-48).
In Safe Schools, A Security and Loss Prevention Plan, author J. Barry Hylton notes that in barricaded captor/hostage situations, the xe2x80x9cprincipal and school custodian . . . should offer to the nearest police commander blueprints of the school . . . xe2x80x9d(Pg. 171).
In Raids, A Tactical Guide to High Risk Warrant Service, author Mark V. Lonsdale notes that when planning a raid, tactical intelligence includes aerial photograph, building plans, direction of door openings (swing of door) and the like. (Pgs. 122-123).
In After Columbine, A Schoolplace Violence Prevention Manual, author Kelly A. Zinna recommends that a crisis management kit include blueprints of the school with exit routes clearly marked. (Pg. 83). In Advanced Weapons Training for Hostage Rescue Teams, author Mark V. Lonsdales illustrates and describes entry procedures for hostage rescue that are strongly tied to the structurexe2x80x9cs floorplan (Pgs. 9, 10, 216-219).
A significant problem in the prior art is the lack of uniformity in structural plans. There are currently no known methods of systematically standardizing the variances between various plan formats, even if they are in digital format and produced by the same design software application. While preexisting structural plans may simply be stored and transmitted to a remote location, there is currently no uniform context to the structural objects nor can they be presented in a uniform manner. Although the above-mentioned references describe the necessity of accessing structural plans to respond to crisis situations, none of the references solve the problem of clearly presenting an array of heterogeneous plans and information to a remote location.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a method for emergency response personnel to quickly and consistently access structural information on an area of concern.
There is another need in the art for a standardization process wherein a heterogeneous array of structural data may be processed and displayed in a uniform and accessible fashion.
There is another need in the art for onsite three-dimensional visualization of structural data.
There is another need in the art to provide structural plans to a remote location optimized for an array of tactical objectives.
There is another need in the art for a method for encapsulating logic into standard structural objects to aid in achieving particular tactical objectives.
There is another need in the art to provide an efficient and consistent structural overlay for GPS-based personnel monitoring.
There is another need in the art to provide GPS-based identification of downed personnel with respect to structural plans.
It is, therefore, to the effective resolution of the aforementioned problems and shortcomings of the prior art that the present invention is directed.
However, in view of the prior art in at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the pertinent art how the identified needs could be fulfilled.
The present invention includes a method of processing and displaying structural plans responsive to emergency tactical situations, the method comprising the steps of receiving a heterogeneous array of structural plan files, establishing a common specification for displaying structural plans, transforming the heterogeneous array of structural plan files to a standardized plan according to the common specification, receiving a remote request for a structural plan relating to a tactical objective and responsive to the remote request transmitting the standardized plan to a remote recipient. Additional steps may include establishing an array of preselected tactical objectives, establishing an array of relevant objects for each preselected tactical objectives and filtering the array of relevant objects from the standardized plan according to the tactical objective and transmitting the filtered plan to the remote recipient.
A preferred embodiment of the invention includes the steps of establishing an array of reusable structural objects according to the common specification, associating a tactical strategy with at least one object in the array of reusable structural objects, constructing the standardized plan with the array of reusable structural objects and generating a tactical recommendation display to the remote recipient responsive to a display of the at least one object. Additional steps may include calculating a position of the at least one object relative to other objects and generating the tactical recommendation display in view of the position.
An array of dimensions of the object may be calculated wherein the tactical recommendation display is generated in view of the array of dimensions. Exemplary tactical strategies may include providing fire cover, providing pathways for equipment transport, providing utility access or providing containment by lockable doors. For example, where law enforcement or military personnel wish to position themselves within a structure to maximize protection against hostile gunfire, the tactical recommendation display may be a gradient rendered over areas of concern. This creates a topography map of hazardous locations offering the least protection against hostile gunfire. Another example, is where emergency rescue personnel must transport a stretcher to an incapacitated individual. Elevators, stairways, and tight corners may be unable to accommodate the stretcher. Accordingly, the tactical recommendation display comprises warning markers rendered over pathways of insufficient dimensions to transport equipment. If the point-to-point locations are known, the tactical recommendation display comprises a rendered trail over at least one pathway of sufficient dimensions to transport the equipment.
Still another problem in emergency situations involving structures is the identification of utility access points. In the case of a fire, water lines might be a priority. In the case of a hostage situation, communication and power lines might be a priority. Responsive to such a requirement, the tactical recommendation display comprises markers rendered over utility access points.
In many situations, knowing which doors may be locked, unlocked or capable of locking has immense value. If containment of a fugitive or prisoner is sought within a structure, it is beneficial to law enforcement to identify and lock potential escape pathways. Accordingly, the tactical recommendation display may include markers rendered over lockable doors and thus, easily identified. Some facilities such as airports and prisons have the ability to remote lock down areas for security purposes.
This might happen in the event of a terrorist running through the security checkpoint of an airport or in the regular course of a prisonxe2x80x9cs operation. If such ability exists, a preferred embodiment of the invention includes the steps of establishing a communications pathway from an onsite display device viewing the standardized plan to a corresponding structural facility being viewed by the display device, responsive to a selection of at least one lockable door on the display device, transmitting an instruction to the structural facility to engage or disengage the lock.
To ensure the security and completeness of the structural plans bibliographic data relating to the origin of the heterogeneous array of structural plan files is recorded.
The bibliographic data would typically include date, time, and user tracking information.
In addition to graphical data, alphanumeric data may contain important information in the form of tactical notes, building occupants and the like. Accordingly, additional steps to the current invention may include establishing an array of alphanumeric data related to the structural plan files, associating the alphanumeric data with the structural plan files, and responsive to the remote request transmitting alphanumeric data in addition to the standardized plan to the remote recipient. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the alphanumeric data is linked in context sensitive fashion to the graphical data wherein alphanumeric data is only displayed in context of associated structural plan data.
The GPS (Global Positioning System) is a xe2x80x9cconstellationxe2x80x9d of 24 well-spaced satellites that orbit the Earth and make it possible for people with ground receivers to pinpoint their geographic location. The location accuracy is anywhere from 100 to 1 meter for most equipment. GPS equipment is widely used in science and has now become sufficiently low-cost so that almost anyone can own a GPS receiver. For tactical situations, GPS equipment provides a unique opportunity. While it is well known in the art to track the location of personnel by receiving their GPS position by wireless communication, the current invention includes the step of receiving an array of GPS coordinates from at least one person inside a facility of which the standardized structural plans are being viewed and displaying the at least one personxe2x80x9cs position in overlaying relation to the structural plans on a remote display device. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, additional steps include monitoring the movement of the at least one person as a function of elapsed time, establishing a threshold movement value, periodically calculating a movement value for the at least one person, and responsive to a movement value for the at least one person becoming equal to the threshold movement value, issuing an alert notification. As the current invention provides a standard specification to which different tactical objectives may be applied, an additional step of transmitting tactical data relating to a rescue operation for the at least one person may be executed.
The efficiency and consistency of object-oriented systems is well known in many fields of technology. However, a serious drawback to the current prior art is the inconsistency of architectural plans. It is unlikely that two skilled draftsmen will select the exact same settings, layers or descriptions when constructing a structural plan. However, in order to consistently display, manipulate and apply intelligence to structural data, it must be standardized into a common format, which is disclosed above. Additional steps to the current invention include establishing an array of reusable structural objects according to the common specification, constructing a standardized plan from the heterogeneous array of structural plan files with the array of reusable structural objects according to the common specification, establishing an array of preselected tactical objectives, establishing an array of relevant objects for each preselected tactical objectives, and filtering the array of relevant objects from the standardized plan according to an individual tactical objective.
Dynamic intelligence may be added to the system by the steps of aggregating an array of data relating to at least one structure, establishing a common specification for displaying structural plans, establishing an array of objects according to the common specification, encapsulating a logic function in at least one object of the array, formatting the array to the common specification, storing the array on a remotely accessible storage device, responsive to a request, transmitting the array to a remotely located display device, and executing the logic function associated with an identified tactical objective. The logic function may also be responsive to GPS data. For example, logic applied to a doorway object establishes angles of cover from gunfire according to the position of the doorway object in relation to the room. From the calculated angles, a display image may be modified to clearly illustrate areas that provide maximum cover from gunfire. However, the same object may also have emergency rescue logic encapsulated therein to mark doorways of sufficient width to pass rescue equipment through.
The invention also provides for a computer program product for processing and displaying structural plans responsive to emergency tactical situations comprising a computer-readable medium, a data storage module stored on the medium, that couples to an array of digital files relating to at least one structure, a data conversion module communicatively coupled to the data storage module to format the array of digital files into a common specification, a network reception module communicatively coupled to the data storage module to receive requests for the array of digital files, and a network transmission module communicatively coupled to the network reception module to transmit the array of digital files. A security module may be communicatively coupled to the reception module to validate to the identity of the entity requesting the array of digital files. A GPS reception module may be included to receive dynamic positioning of a person and monitor the personxe2x80x9cs movement as a function of time. A GPS alert module may be provided to issue an alert if the person fails to move a sufficient distance during a preselected period of time. A GPS transmission module may also be included to transmit the position of the person relative to the structure defined by the array of digital files.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method for emergency response personnel to quickly and consistently access structural information on an area of concern.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a standardization process wherein a heterogeneous array of structural data may be processed and displayed in a uniform and accessible fashion.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for onsite three-dimensional visualization of structural data.
It is another object of the present invention to provide structural plans to a remote location optimized for an array of tactical objectives.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for encapsulating logic into standard structural objects to aid in achieving particular tactical objectives.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an efficient and consistent structural overlay for GPS-based personnel monitoring.
It is another object of the present invention to provide GPS-based identification of downed personnel with respect to structural plans.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are explanatory and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the present invention and together with the general description, serve to explain principles of the present invention.
These and other important objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become clear as this description proceeds.
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts that will be exemplified in the description set forth hereinafter and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.